Apple to the Core
by sara t. fontanini
Summary: There is a farming competition being held in Appleoosa! And Twilight and her family have been invited to compete! However Applejack's family is also competing and have forced the fashionista to join in. How will this affect the two mares' friendship, if at all?
1. Family Values

Apple to the Core

A Rainbow is Magic verse story

Chapter 1: Family Values

Pinkamena slept after a long hard day of working on the rock farm. She barely got much time for a good long rest, and she always savoured the time when she could. She was having a pleasant dream about working the fields with her father watching a stoic gaze when she heard the most annoying sound in the world.

"GOOOOOD MORNING PINKIE PIEEEEE!"

The pink pony got up with a start, turning with a hard glare to the yellow Pegasus responsible for disturbing her rest.

"Never. Call me. Pinkie." She stated.

Fluttershy giggled. "Oh, no need to be such a grump pants! I brought cupcakes!" the yellow mare held up a tray of the baked goods in question.

Pinkamena merely glared and then walked off. "I don't like cupcakes."

Fluttershy gasped, eyes wide as she put her hooves up to her mouth in shock. "You don!? But everypony likes cupcakes! Even Applejack likes them even though she says they're fattening but they aren't cause they taste super good and yummy and are super nutritious!"

Pinkamena growled and set to work at some rocks. "In case you can't tell, I'm a bit busy. I was working all night making sure I was ready for the big competition."

"Competition?" Fluttershy tilted her head.

"Yeah, big farming competition up in Appleoosa. It's usually an Apple family only event, however I hear they do sometimes make the occasional exception." She smirked as she inspected a recently dug up black stone. "I hear the prize is pretty nice."

"You sure rock farming is allowed?" Fluttershy asked in thought.

The pink pony shrugged. "Doubt it, good thing I'm not competing. There'll be tons of ponies visiting from all over, meaning plenty of potential buyers for my product."

"Ponies would really pay for rocks?"

"It depends on the rock, and what's inside it." Pinkamena shovelled nonstop. "Also, the only reason I am tolerating you is cause I am waiting for the trap I set to go off."

"What tra-" Fluttershyw as interrupted as she flung into the air by a catapult launching from beneath the ground. "WHEEEEE!" She shouted as she sailed through the air.

Pinkamena smirked before frowning. "Wait...she's a Pegasus...she can just fly anyway...need a better trap."

Rainbow Dash walked down the street, heading to Twilight's farm. Twilight was apparently getting ready for some big competition in Appleoosa, and Rainbow Dash was excited to see how exactly Twilight used her magic in her farming, and in general just wanted to lend her friend a hoof.

As she trotted, she passed by Applejack's shop, and noticed some earth ponies she never noticed before talking to the orange earth pony. As she got closer, it became they weren't talking, but rather arguing.

"Ah already told you!" The fashion loving pony yelled. "Ah am NOT going back to that dirty farm! Ah am much happier where Ah am, thank you very much."

"Applejack, jes' lissen!" One of the ponies called out, an orange coated Stallion with short cropped red mane and tail and whose cutie mark was in the form of a mug of frothy cider. "Applebloom's too young, Granny Smith is too old, and us'n yer brother can't do it all ourselves!"

"Ah have no interest in farming!" Applejack shouted. "Ah can make do without it!"

"An' what?" The mare beside the stallion said; her coat a deep red and her blonde mane and tail long and braided with her cutie mark displaying the image of a glass of apple juice. "Yer jus' gonna abandon yer family and let us squander while you sit in Ponyville...makin' dresses? Does our family mean so little to yew!?"

"That's in what Ah am saying, mother." Applejack snorted. "Ah have my own business to take care of, and I'm not a farmer anyway, I would only get in the way."

"We need you AJ." The stallion said softly, eyes pleading. "Yer an Apple, we know you can do it. Jus...Jus' think abou' it." The two ponies walked off, leaving the young mare alone...until Rainbow Dash walked over.

"Who were those ponies?" the Pegasus asked with a raised eyebrow.

The Orange mare sighed and looked down. "They were my family...will, still are really. My mother and father to be exact, Hard Cider and Juicy Apple."

The Pegasus blinked. "You...you were arguing with your parents...why?"

"Oh, it was that obvious?" She chuckled lightly. "Oh nothing too serious, just the same old argument we end up having every few weeks or so. They want me back helping on the family farm, while I refuse and would rather live my own life than do what is expected of me!" She gritted her teeth, her right forehoof digging into the ground.

"Uh, easy there Applejack, you're kinda ruining your hooficure there."

The earth pony gave a shriek of horror. "Oh my stars you're right! Ah simply must go back to the space and fix this at once!" She ran off in a mad dash as Rainbow Dash chuckled at the sight.

"Well, I guess it's not a big deal...not like I should pry into her personal matters, anyway, really." She shrugged and continued on her way to Twilight's farm.

As Rainbow walked over to the farm, she was greeted by Twilight's father. Rainbow had never gotten to speak to him before and thought this was a good chance to find out some more about her friend.

"Morning!" The Pegasus greeted.

"Guten tag!" The unicorn stallion returned, earning a surprised look from Rainbow.

"You're Germane?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You're pretty far from home."

"Oh, ja, but my family moved to Canterlot some years back, and zat vas ven I met my vife, and vell you know how it goes." He sighed softly. "Anyvays, vat brings you here?"

"Oh!" the Pegasus blushed lightly. "Twilight invited me over, but I thought it'd be nice if I talked to you for a moment...I-I don't know much about you or your wife, and Twilight really hasn't told me much about herself yet...I am curious about why you aren't in Canterlot anymore. Twilight mentioned something about some scandals...?"

The stallion sighed. "I...do not really wish to discuss that. It vas quite a harrowing experience, to say the least, howezer, some good came out of it." He smiled at Rainbow Dash, looking over towards the farm. "Twilight, when she vas just a filly, vas quite a handful. She vould become a nervous wreck the instant anyzing vent against schedule, and she vould always imaging the vorst possibility, no matter how improbable or vild."

"Really!? Twilight has never acted like that since I've known...granted I haven't known her that long." The Pegasus smiled sheepishly at her admission.

"Exactly. After ve left Canterlot, ve travelled, trying to build a new life, away from ze scandals and ze noble life, eventually ve came here and decided to try a simpler, more down to earth life. Twilight was still against us living here, of course, but ozer time she grew to enjoy life on a farm, eventually helping us expand into a profitable business. Living here has done her vonders, she no longer grows stressed at every unplanned inconvenience, and no longer obsesses over planning ezery detail. She is now carefree, enjoying life, and thinking only about how to help others, and less worrying about her own problems."

"What caused this change?"

Twilight's father shrugged. "Zat's ze zing, I cannot tell you. Twilight never really told me what changed her mind, and I am not one to pry." He smiled wide. "I am just happy to see her happy...and having made such a good friend at that..."

Rainbow blushed in embarrassment. "ehehe thanks Mr Sparkle."

"Please, no need to be so formal. Besides, my name isn't Mr Sparkle, it's Nachtlicht, zough since most ponies find it difficult to pronounce, I go by Night Light these days."

Rainbow nodded. "Alright, pleased to meet you Mr Night Light."

"A pleasure, Fraulein."

Twilight came running over to them at that moment. "Oh Rainbow you're here!" She smiled as she slowed down to a trot. "I see you met my dad."

"Yeah he's an interesting guy." The Pegasus grinned at the two unicorns. "So anyway, what ya need help with, Twi?"

She and her father share a pleasant though significant look and she grins wide. "We're going to be competing in the Appleoosa Farming Competition!"

Rainbow blinked. "That's...neat?"

The purple unicorn nodded. "You better believe it! Most of the time, only members of the Apple Clan can compete, but this we're being invited as a special exception! Of course we're a little understaffed and need some help with moving supplies..."

The Pegasus gave a wan smile. "Oh, and I suppose that's why you need my help?"

"Not just that! We're allowed to bring some guests along to watch and cheer us on, and so I thought you, rarity and fluttershy would love to come by!"

"Hmm well I'm sure Rarity would love to come and watch and over medical help, and Fluttershy...well, she's Fluttershy. And I'm kinda curious about all this too." Rainbow Dash grinned. "I'm in! But...what about Applejack?"

"Oh her!?" Twilight snorted incredulously. "She hates farming more than anything! She'd HATE to come along!"

Rainbow shrugged. "Well then, just tell me what you need."

"Well for now we just need some extra help packing and carrying supplies to the train station..."

Meanwhile, Appleack was busy organising her inventory for the day, when the bell rang out, signalling a customer. "OH We're closed at the..."

She stopped talking the moment she saw who had entered. A small yellow filly with a pink bow tie tied into her bright red mane, beside a large red stallion with a messy yellow mane.

"Bloom...Mac..." The orange earth pony muttered, eyes wide, her expression melancholic, then grew enraged. "Oh, Ah See how it is! Mother and Father sent you two here to make me change my mind! That's just low! They now how Ah feel about this, about you two! How dare they?!"

"Be quiet for jus' one minute!" the younger filly shouted. "Ma an' Pa are workin' real hard for the competition but we need yer help! Please sis, we need you to help us..."

The stallion looked over to Applejack, his eyes compassionate and hopeful. "Please, Lil' Sis. We're family, we need ta stick t'gether."

Applejack's eyes softened. "But...Ah can't...I have the Boutique and my own dreams...If Ah help you now..."

Applebloom's gaze grew stern. "You sayin' we cain't count on ya anymore, huh? Yer darn dream's too important to stay loyal to yer family!?"

"Bloom don't say that..." Big Mac said softly.

Appleack's eyes widened and she bit her lip. "Of course I'm loyal...you're my family..." tears fell from her eyes and she shook them away. "Alright, fine! Ah'll come along and help, but that's it! I'm NOT going back to the farm!"

"Yay! Applejack's comin' back!' Applebloom danced happily as the three of them left the boutique, Big Mac standing beside Applejack.

"Ah'm sorry it came ta this, Ah truly am." The large stallion said. "But...we really do need the extra hooves, and yer all we can count on."

"It's not your fault, Mac." Applejack said. "I would've done it sooner or later anyway...You're my family, you will always have my loyalty."

"Thanks sis..."

"Not a problem." She smiled, though looked doubtful.

Rainbow Dash walked down to the train station with Twilight and her family, Fluttershy and Rarity also tagging along, helping with carrying what luggage they could. The unicorns and Rainbow used their magic naturally while Fluttershy happily carried some smaller packages in her luggage.

"Are you sure Spike will be ok by himself?" Rarity asked Rainbow.

"Oh he'll be fine! He's tougher than he looks and he knows how to take care of a library better than I can." The Pegasus smiled proudly. "I'd be lost without him."

Rarity smiled. "Well as long as you're sure, I trust you."

"Does he have plenty eat?" Twilight interjected.

Rainbow sighed in exasperation. "I'm not an IDIOT, I left plenty of food and beverages for him and plenty of books for him to read, though he can probably find something else to do in Ponyville if he ever gets bored of reading, I suppose." She chuckled. "Like that'd ever happen. What could be fun than digging into a good book?"

The two unicorns rolled their eyes as Fluttershy giggled above them.

"Now girls focus please." Twilight's father called out in front of them. "Where here."

The young mares looked over, gazing at the massive pink train stationed at the local train platform. Twilight's eyes bulged.

"Oh my celestia!" The unicorn squeeled. "It's an actual Coal Steam Ltd. LT009 Steam Engine! The wheels made of strong iron, the body covered toughened steel, the front bumper made of pure titanium! Oh it even has a classic smoke stack!" She ran towards the locomotive, practically drooling.

Rarity and Rainbow stared as Nacht Licht chuckled. "Oh, you hazen't seen Twilight around machines, haze you?"

"You mean this is normal?" The cyan Pegasus asked with a raised brow.

"Oh ja! Our Twilight has always loved machines, and she is a real wunderkind when it comes them!" He chuckled as he lead the mares towards the platform.

Twilight was still admiring the train, taking notes on it as the luggage was packed and the group walked onboard, finding their seats, Twilight sitting with her parents while Rarity and the two pegasi sat opposite them.

"So I never took you to be a tech-head." Rainbow said conversationally. "Weren't you the one who told me you'd rather get your hooves dirty farming?"

"One does not exclude the other." The purple unicorn began simply. "The better the equipment, the more efficiently a farm can be run, so I'm always trying to find ways to improve how we run things. Every once in a while I find it refreshing to just put the tools away and do things the old fashioned way with my bare hooves. But, in the end of the day, technology will always fascinate and excite me!"

"Ya ask me, ya darn city folk should go back where ya came from, and leave th' farmin' to us pr'ffesh'nals."

The group collectively turned to look at a family opposite them...and Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow and Twilight stared in surprise at seeing Applejack sitting among them, burying her face in her hooves, blushing madly.

Night Light frowned. "Hard Cider."

The earth stallion got up out of his seat, walking towards the unicorn stallion. "Now don't take that tone with me! Mah family has farmed in Ponyville fer generations, and our farmin' has done for th' comminty than any other apart from the mayor. But you! Ya jus' come waltzin in with yer fancy doodads and gizmos, taking vital customers away from us! We can barely make a livin' thanks ta you!"

Night Light gazed at him coolly, unfazed. "It is neizer my nor my family's fault that you are a poor businesspony. You spend too long harvesting, and you do not account for how many potential customers vill come along to buy from you. It is not like we are purposefully 'stealink' your customer's avay."

"Not to mention we make a point not to sell one thing!" His wife interjected. "You have only three products to your name: your apples, your zap apple jam and your cider. Granted you can make lots of things with your apples, and I applaud you for that, but its still based on a single main ingredient. Your jam is made using a special ingredient that only grows for a short time every year, and you can only provide your cider for about one single day. Mean while we have livestock to provide, wool, eggs, milk, and we have plenty of fruits and vegetables to sell, not mention our..."

"GET THE HAY OFF THIS TRAIN!" Applebloom blurted out from beside Applejack. "We don' need no stinking unicorns, and our business rivals at that, sneaking onto our train and trying to compete in an event that is none of their beeswax!"

"OH how'd you guess we were invited?" twilight grinned wide. "I'm just so excited I can't wait!"

"Why else would YOU folks be on this train?" Hard Cider spat on the floor. "Jus' ferget the competition. We don' need yer kind stealin one more thing from this family, or at least makin' the attempt."

Rainbow glared. "Sir, that is an unfair accusation you are making, not to mention an unreasonable request. We have already packed and boarded. I have good faith in my friend Twilight Sparkle and by extension her family, I doubt they have entered this competition through any illicit means. In other words: shut it!"

The earth stallion turned to the cyan Pegasus with a stern glare. "And who are you? What, now Pegasi think they can farm better than us earth pony folk, too?"

"I'm not a farmer, I'm a student of magic. I am merely here to support my friend in her endeavours." She smiled as she looked over at Applejack. "Both of them, I suppose."

Applejack gasped as all eyes turned to her and she scrabbled to hide...somehow. "N-no I'm not here! I-I'm not who you think I am!"

"Applejack why ARE you here?" Twilight asked. "You don't even like farming, that's why you left the farm." She looked down, looking betrayed. "At least...that's what you told me..."

"Ah did!" Applejack gasped out. "But my family...they...they needed me, said Ah was the only one they could turn to...Ah...Ah couldn't just leave them be when they asked for my help directly..."

Rainbow nodded. "I understand, AJ, I don't blame you at all." She glared at Hard Cider. I don't blame you at all for your father's rudeness."

"RUDENESS!?" The earth stallion bellowed, raising his forehooves aggressively. "Why I oughtta!"

"All passengers please be seated, we are now departing all stops for Appleoosa." One of the train's staff said. "Please show your tickets when we pass you."

Hard Cider grumbled as he returned to his seat, he and his family (minus Applejack, who was pointedly hiding her face again) were glaring at the ponies across from them. "When we reach Appleoosa, we'll show ya some good old fashioned Apple family solidarity. You ain't got what it takes ta be real farmers, mark my words."

Rainbow growled, her wings glowing, turning to Rarity as the unicorn placed her hoof on the pegasus' shoulder, shaking her head. Rainbow sighed and folded her wings, which stopped glowing, and sat back into her seat.

It was going to be a long trip.

_Ok I'm kinda worried I went overboard with Night Light/Nacht Licht and Hard Cider's accents._

_Oh yeah. The reason Night Light is German/Germane is because he is based on a German MLP toy called...Nachtlicht. Well at least, the one who appeared in canon is..._

_Not much to say here though, since we're just starting off I will say I am saving the Sparkle's main export for focus on a future story, however if anyone is curious I will talk about it in the comments._


	2. Appleoosa

Apple to the Core

Chapter 2: Appleoosa

The train ride was fairly uneventful, though Rainbow Dash and Hard Cider did occasionally exchange baleful looks. Eventually though, the train finally pulled to a stop as the trains steam whistle blew.

"All disembark for Appleoosa!" One of the train's staff called out.

"Oh this is our stop!" Twilight squeeled excitedly. "Come on, let's go let's go!" She pulled her parents through the door as Rainbow rolled her eyes and she and Fluttershy followed after, carrying the luggage.

Rainbow yelped as she fell to the ground, something heavy on her back. She looked up behind her, seeing the small yellow, red maned filly that was sitting with Applejack's family.

"And who are you?" Rainbow growled, annoyed at the filly's antics.

"Ah'm Applebloom! And Ah ain't lettin' no weirdo pegasus help those mean ol' unicorns!"

Rainbow frowned and got ready to push her off with her head, when Fluttershy flew by and picked up Applebloom. She grinned at the filly as she struggled.

"Hey! Lemme go!"

"Aww but you seem so grumpy-wumpy!" The yellow Pegasus giggled. "I know a good way to cheer up a gwumpy widdle filly...TICKLE ATTACK!"

"AH! Wait!" The filly laughed as Fluttershy brushed her feathers against her sides. "Ah said stop it!"

"Not till you apologise!" The yellow pegasus grinned.

"You will put mah daughter back on the ground this instant!"

Fluttershy blinked and looked down at Hard Cider, who was glaring at her. "But I was just trying to make her not as grumpy and mean."

"AH SAID put her DOWN!"

"Ok, ok..." Fluttershy grumbled as she gently placed Applebloom back on the ground. "You don't need to be so mean about it..."

Applebloom blew a raspberry at her as she run back to her father's side, who was quickly joined by a quite bulky red stallion, Juicy Apple and Applejack, who was wearing a simple blue dress and green bonnet, using the bonnet to hide her face.

Rainbow glared, her wings flared wide as the Sparkles and Fluttershy stood with her, Fluttershy looking a little uncomfortable as Mrs Sparkle and Night Light frowned sternly at Hard Cider, Twilight too busy looking around at the scenery from behind them to notice the tense atmosphere.

"Ah! Hard Cider! May I say to you and yer kin...Welcome to APPPLEOOOOOOSA!"

The two groups turned to a yellow earth pony stallion with long orange mane and tail and wearing a brown vest and Stetson hat.

"Oh, is that you, Braeburn?" Juicy Apple smiled. "You sure have grown some!"

"Oh!" Applebloom yelled out excitedly as she run up to the stallion. "What's that gold star on your vest for?"

Braeburn smiled wide and proudly. "I was recently made deputy sheriff of this here town, and I'm one of the three ponies in charge of this here hootenanny. Ya'll are among the first to arrive."

Hard Cider smirked. "Good for you Braeburn, you're doing yerself proud, getting out of your family's shadow..."

The younger stallion looked away nervously. "I'd rather not bring that up..."

Night Light trotted closer, his group following behind. "Ah, excuse me, I take it you are one of ze ponies to talk to about ze competition?"

"Sure am!" Braeburn grinned, and then frowned a little. "Why does a unicorn have any interest in the competition? This is a matter for Apple Family members."

"We were invited." Mrs Sparkle said, standing beside her husband. "We were sent a letter asking us to compete this year."

"But...But you ain't even Apples! Let alone earth ponies..."

"I know!" Twilight chirped, skipping over to the two groups. "We're just as surprised as you are! I guess somepony in charge was really impressed by our business and wanted to see how we would do here!"

Hard Cider growled. "Surely there's been some kinda mistake, there is no way ponies like YOU, who ain't even kin, would be allowed anywhere near this event!"

"There's only one family that would be as unthinkable of seeing here..." Juicy Apple added.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise of something heavy scraping along the ground as several ponies in the town shrieked and cried out, and occasionally there could be heard loud bangs.

"Oh Celestia..." Hard Cider breathed. "Not THEM..."

The two groups and the deputy sheriff watched as a broken, wheel-less carriage came into the centre of town, pulled along by two very large alligators as it noisily was dragged through the ground, creating a loud noise and large tracks of disturbed earth. On the carriage were three ponies: A very LARGE, very ROUND white earth pony whose eyes were hidden under a smaller but still just as round hat, tufts of short brown mane visible from underneath, their cutie mark showing a bruised apple; a slender black pony in a poncho, with long scraggly black mane and tail, his chin rather large, a single red eye unhidden by his mane, glaring balefully, his cutie mark displaying a green apple with several worms poking out from it; the third was slightly shorter than the black one, his coat a bright red, his green mane and tail were long, greasy and unkempt, he wore a tall white hat riddled with holes, his cutie mark displaying a strange long metal object with a large round end, which was the same object he held in his hooves. This pony smirked.

Several other pony families, evidently other Apples, who disembarked were keeping away from these newcomers whispering among themselves.

"Oh it's those Bad Apples! Why are THEY here!? They give us all a bad name!"

"Yeah they can't even farm! They live in a swamp for Celestia's sakes!"

The shorter jumped at the offending speakers, getting up on his hind hooves as he hefted his large metal weapon, tugging on the large trigger with his hoof as he fired several shots wildly in the direction of the speakers. "Who're yew to judge me!? Ah'm 'n Apple, Ain't Ah!? Yew try fermin' 'n a swamp!" He panted heavily, the offenders having run off, away from his wild gunshots. He turned and smiled at Hard Cider and his family. "Ahh, Cider, yer a sight fer sore eyes!" He grinned at Juicy Apple. "An' Sis! Yer lookin' perttier than ever!" He lifted up her hoof and kissed it, receiving a revolted look from the mare. "Hey now, is that any way to greet yer dear ol' brother who came all this way jus' to say hello to yer family?"

"Rotten, what in tarnation what are you doing here?" Hard Cider asked sternly. "You never come to this event; you know you aren't welcome here."

Rotten gasped theatrically, a look of hurt on his face as he held his hoof up to his heart. "Ah'm hurt, Cider, HURT that yew wuld say dat! Ah caint come along all th' way ta Appleoosa jus' to say hello to family, after so long? Ah'm simply shocked!"

Big Mac stepped over, pressing his face against the older stallion's, glaring.

Rotten glared back. "What? Ya finally gonna step up and say somethin', boy? Gonna smack talk yer dear Uncle too? Gonna get right up in mah grill and tell me how much of a disappointment Ah am to ever'pony?" He smirked. "Or ya gonna jus' let me do all the talkin', as per usual?"

Big Mac snorted and stomped back to his father's side, his uncle grinning in triumph.

"You ARE a disappointment, little brother!" Juicy Apple scowled. "Instead of learnin' the trade, stickin' to your roots like everypony else, you went off to that fancy college, and what did that get you? You livin' up in Dubbleyuk Swamp, not able ta do a darn thing to earn a livin', unlike every Apple!?"

"What the HAY you sayin'!?" Rotten sneered and hefted his blunderbuss, aiming it at Juicy. "Jus' cause Ah wanted to make somethin' of mahself, now ever'one wants ta go off spoutin' off at me!? Ah didn't want to remain an unintelligent, under-knowledged HICK like the rest'a ya'll seem to be! How ya think Ah got th' smarts to build this beauty!?" He rubbed the barrel of his gun lovingly. "Cause Ah went off and got mahself an ejycation!"

Braeburn laid a concerned hoof on the stallion's shoulder. "Now Pa, Ah think ya should stop before you cause more trouble..."

"AH'M th' one causin' trouble!?" He turned to the younger stallion. "Mah boy, who was it who funded yer ejycation, that allowed ya ta get this here posishun in th' firs' place!?"

The younger stallion looked down sheepishly. "You did, Pa..."

"Durn right!" Rotten looked at everypony else. "Ah'll see ya'll at th' competition." He looked towards the Sparkles and gave them a hard, envious glare before walking off.

Twilight blinked. "What was that all about?"

Braeburn sighed. "Sorry about that folks, I really wasn't expectin' him to come by, let alone compete." He straightened up, smiling warmly. "Anyway, I best show ya'll where the competition is bein' held."

Hard Cider shook his head. "No need to trouble yerself, Brae, we know the way."

"Ah certainly do not!" Applejack fumed.

"Sis, don't be rude!" Applebloom piped up. "If ya really don' remember, jus' follow along and you won't get lost!"

"Actually," Braeburn interrupted, "Ah was talkin' to the unicorns...and pegasi?"

Rainbow shook her hoof. "Oh no no no, we're not competing, we're just spectators."

"Oh, well alright then. Not often we get non-Apples here, let alone non-earth ponies." The earth pony turned round and slowly trotted westward. "Follow me, don' dawdle."

Applejack grimaced as she trotted next to Rainbow Dash, looking bashful. "Dahling Ah am so, so sorry! Ah didn't even want to come...Ah don't have any interest in farming...but my little sister and big brother insisted...they mean a lot to me..." She looked down morosely.

"Oh don't worry Applejack!" Twilight smiled good-naturedly. "Just cause we're competing doesn't mean we aren't friends right?"

Applejack smiled sheepishly. "Well, Ah do suppose..."

"Applejack!" Juicy Apple snapped. "Get over right now! Stop cavortin' with the competition!"

"Coming mother!" The fashionista winced and trotted to her family, Rainbow frowning in concern.

"It'll be fine Rainbow don't worry." Twilight reassured the Pegasus.

"Maybe...I don't like seeing my friend in trouble though..."

"Rainbow! Twilight! Come along now, ve don't vant to end up lost!" Night Light called out to them both, waving his hoof, grinning.

Twilight grinned back. "Ok dad! Come along Rainbow!" She and the cyan Pegasus ran over to the now moving group.

Braeburn smiled as he gave everypony a guided tour of the town, as well as introducing them to several Apple family members who had come for the competition and the reunion.

Rainbow stared wide eyed as they finished being introduced to Goldie Delicious Apple, a rather close aunt to Applejack's family and who didn't seem to respond well to the Sparkles. "I didn't realise Applejack had such an...extended family..."

"Oh golly yes!" Braeburn replied excitedly. "Why, we Apples can be found all around Equestria, and we have roots everywhere! But even despite there bein' so many of us, we never lost touch with our roots, and always hold these reunions and competitions to make sure that bond is never lost." They soon came across a large field at the edge of the town with several seats and a small modest fence built around it. "Well, this is the place! This is where you and several members of the Apple family will be competin' to see whose farmin' skills are the best around!"

Twilight looked around excitedly, her parents smiling at her. She quickly turned to her friends. "This is so exciting I have never competed against other farmers before!"

"Yeah, we'll be cheering you on." Rainbow replied.

"And Jackie too!" Fluttershy cheered, spinning excited loops in the air.

The purple unicorn grinned. "Yeah!"

"Now Ya'll best get yerselves organised," Braeburn said, "there's still some time 'fore the competition starts. Ah suggest settin' up your accommodations at a hotel and then explore the town a bit. But don't be too long."

"It's perfectly fine," Night Light replied, "I have already taken care of our accommodations ahead of time, giving us more time to acclimatise ourselves to zis fine town."

"Alright!" Braeburn shouted excitedly. "Ya'll take care now and be back here soon!"

"We will!" Twilight said, grinning wide.

Some distance away, watching that very group, were the Bad Apples. The younger ponies stood at either side of their father, sitting on a rocking chair, glaring spitefully, his metal contraption held in his hooves.

"Unicorns, Pa." The black stallion said.

"Ah noticed, Worm-Eaten." Rotten spat, polishing his invention. "Cain't say I was expectin' th' world famous Sparkles ta be 'nvited. But, this ain't no probl'm. Don't change the plan none."

"Shame Granny Smith didn't come along." The large, white pony said with a smirk.

Rotten looked at his child, a stern glare in his gaze. "Now ya better not be insinuatin' ya want my dear Ma anywhere near this fracas. Ah rais'd ya better'n that, Bruised." His hooves gripped the barrel of his weapon tightly.

"Oh no Pa, sorry Pa." Bruised Bad Apple answered, sweating nervously. "Was jus'...thinkin' how we haven't seen her in ages..."

"True...not really mah fault, nor hers...jus' happ'ned." He turned back, eyes widening as he saw the purple unicorn mare, Twilight Sparkle, running towards him.

"Hi!" Twilight greeted. "I was just so caught up in my excitement earlier that I never introduced myself properly! I'm Twilight Sparkle."

"Rotten Bad Apple." The stallion replied, quickly regaining his relaxed composure. "And these are mah kin, Bruised Bad Apple an' Worm-Eaten Bad Apple."

"Hi there!" She grinned wider, waving to the two other ponies. "I hope you do well in the competition!" She turned back to Rotten, looking his gun over with unrestrained glee. "I have never seen something like that before, it looks amazing! What is it exactly?"

The older stallion chuckled, hefting his gun to give Twilight a better look. "This here is mah own invention, th' blunderbuss! It's perty useful, and I dream of mass producing 'em and sellin' 'em all over Equestria." He chuckled dryly. "Ah ain't exactly close to accomplishin' that though."

Twilight frowned. "Why? And why does everypony else avoid you like the plague?"

"Ya see, Miss Sparkle, Ah can call ya that raight? Anyway, Some years back, I made a decision ta leave home and make somethin' of mahself, despite mah family's protests. Of course, once I left, they made it clear I was no longer welcome, and after I grajyated, the rest of mah family turned their backs on me, and Ah ended up setting mahself up in a swamp, an' lemme tell you-me, t'ain't nothin' more detr'mental to farmin' and business than livin' on a swamp."

"I thought you left home to be something other than a farmer?" Twilight asked.

Rotten sat back, sighing. "Ah tried, but Ah failed. I fell back on farmin' since I did know some skills from my time on th' family farm. Of course, that didn't work out. Though whether Ah live'n a swamp cause I'm a bad farmer, or Ah'm a bad farmer cause I live'n a swamp, Ah cain't say."

"That doesn't sound pleasant..." The unicorn lowered her head in sympathy. "Jut name it and I would be willing to help you out in any way possible."

"No need, Ah came here to deal with all that pers'nally. You just worry about havin' fun at the comp'tishun and be with yer family an' friends."

"Alright." Twilight smiled at him, but still clearly wanting to help him. "I will. Best of luck at the competition!" She called out as she ran off.

Rotten smirked, folding his forelegs over his chest. "No need ta worry none about that. Not at all."

Applejack's eyes were as wide as saucers as her family trotted around, greeting and being greeted by practically every pony they passed. The fashionista was sweating bullets, looking pale.

"Applejack, what's wrong?" Big Mac said, speaking for the first time since they came here. "You seem nervous."

"How many relatives do we have!?" She gasped out. "Ah mean, Ah know the Apple Clan is robust, but Ah don't recognise any of these ponies, and mother and father and Applebloom and even you are greeting them like old friends!"

"They are family Applejack." The stallion rumbled sternly. "We have known them for a long time, you just never met 'em on account of you leaving the farm and staying in that gaudy building."

"gaudy!?" Applejack fumed. "I'll have you know Carousel Boutique is Ponyville's best place to find clothing, makeup, hair dressing and supplies, as well as..."

She stopped as her mother glared. "Applejack, we asked you to come all the way here, the least you can do is show your family some respect."

"_I don't know these ponies!_" Applejack hissed.

"Then you will learn to know 'em." Hard Cider interjected, his stern gaze kowtowing his daughter and making whatever arguments she had die in her throat.

"Don't worry sis!" Applebloom grinned cheerfully. "Once the competition starts you'll see just how great bein' an Apple really is!"

Applejack opened her mouth to interect, but sighed and slumped forward. "I suppose, if that is what you want..."

"That's exactly what we want, Applejack." Her mother said. "We don't want you ending up like your Uncle. It'll be better once you realise that what you've been doing isn't what you want, or need..."

Applejack bit her lip, trying ahrd not to once again have the tired argument that went nowhere. "Why didn't Granny Smith come along?"

"Mother is too old for these long trips." Juicy Apple clarified. "She'd end up hurtin' herself, and you KNOW she'd insist on competing with us."

"'s for the best, AJ." Hard Cider stated, Applebloom looking down sadly as Big Mac shrugged.

Applejack sighed again. "Right...Ah'm just here to help in the competition..."

"That ain't true!" Big Mac interjected. "Sure you'll be a big help, and we want to win, but that ain't why we asked! We invited you here 'cause you're family, and we think you need to reconnect with your roots!"

"Ah am here, are Ah not?" The fashionista pointed out. "Is that not enough?"

Her family looked as if theyw ere each going to interject when Braeburn ran up from behind. "Uncle Cider, we're ready to begin!"

Hard Cider smirked. "Alright, it's time to win this, and show those Sparkles what bein' an Apple is all about!"

Applejack didn't respond as Applebloom cheered excitedly, Big Mac nodded stoically and her mother walked close to her father as they headed towards the arena.


	3. The Competition

Apple to the Core

Chapter 3: The Competition

An audience gathered in the makeshift stadium, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy among them, Pinkamena selling rocks just outside.

Several wooden and not so wooden chairs and stools surround a large round expanse of field, forming the 'stadium'. In the field stood several Apple families, including Hard Cider and Juicy Apple's family, the Bad Apples and, of course, the Sparkles, wearing simple farm clothing. The assembled crowd booed at the unicorns, to which Rainbow merely glared at.

"Oh this is so exciting!" Fluttershy squeed, clapping her hooves and bouncing on her seat.

Braeburn and the local Sheriff, Silverstar, stood in front of the crowd, introducing each family in turn, the crowd booing even more as the Sparkles were named.

"Alright everypony, settle down." Braeburn said placatingly. "We all know the Sparkles, and we all have reasons to not want them here, but they were invited and came all this way, we might as well give them some courtesy." The crowd quietened down, and Silverstar stepped forward.

"The rules are simple: the competitors will be given a series of challenges, and whoever manages to successfully complete the most within the time limit will be declared the winner and receive a trophy proclaiming them Appleoosa's Top Farmers, but will also receive a handsome bit prize. Remember, each challenge will have around 1-5 minutes in length, depending on the difficulty of the task." He turned to the competitors. "Ok, Farmers, get ready for the first challenge!"

He raised his hoof high in the air and several trees on wheeled stands were pushed onto the field, each tree having a large beehive near the top, and large glass jars were placed near each family.

"This challenge is simple: you must harvest the honey from the hives without getting stung by the bees. If you are stung, you will lose the round."

"Honey!?" Juicy Apple remarked. "When does honey have to do with farming?"

"Ma'am," Sheriff Silverstar said sternly, "farming isn't just one darn thing. We know your family are primarily apple farmers, but keep in mind this isn't an applebucking competition; this is about farming in general. Where do you think we ponies get honey anyway? That the bees just give them to us? If you do not agree with how this competition is run, you may forfeit, unless you wish to talk about this with Deep Roots?"

Juicy and her husband frowned but didn't object.

"Alright, now BEGIN! You have four minutes!"

Applebloom grinned excitedly and ran headfirst into her familiy's tree, knocking the beehive off and sending it crashing onto Big Mac, covering him in honey and promptly screaming in pain as the angry bees attacked him. Hard Cider, his wife and Applejack all facehoofed.

Night Light and his wife smiled and stepped forward, their horns glowing, carefully removing only as much honey as they needed without disturbing the bees.

Rotten Bad Apple aimed his blunderbuss high, only to lower it as Worm-Eaten held up his hoof and trotted forward, pulling a banjo out from under his black poncho. He began playing a quick tune, the bees flying out in formation, dumping honey in the Bad Apple's jar.

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "W-what kind of magic is that!? I thought all Apples were Earth Ponies?"

Fluttershy watched, awestruck and grinning. "He's not using unicorn magic; he's just playing on his banjo..."

Several other audience members talked amongst themselves, surprised by this development.

Worm-Eaten smirked, playing one last note, sending the bees back into their hive and putting them to sleep.

"Time's up!" Braeburn called out.

Those that were not yet finished stopped what they were doing, frowning in defeat. The Bad Apples, The Sparkles and several others held up their jars, showing off the amount they managed to collect. The Ponyville Apples, however, grumbled.

"Well this is a shocker!" Sheriff Silverstar announced. "The Ponyville Apple branch lost the first event, and the Bad Apples and the Sparkles are tied in first place. Following them are the Oranges, the Turnips and the Stalliongrad Apples. Sadly, the Outback Apples, the Dawns and the Grapes haven't been able to collect any honey. Hopefully the next few rounds will see a turnaround."

"Yeah go Twilight!" Fluttershy cheered, flying around in their air, seemingly ignoring the other audience members booing at both the unicorns and the Bad Apples.

Outside the 'stadium', Pinkamena froze, wide eyed. She quickly grabbed a small sign that read 'closed' and ran off.

"Next up, the Apple Clan favourite, Applebucking!" Silverstar called out as again trees were wheeled in, this time various appletrees, and this time one for each individual family member.

"Again, the rules are simple," Silverstar continued, "just get down as many apples as you can within two minutes. The winner will be the one with the most apples in their basket when time runs out, and the apples must be undamaged, so anything smashed, bruised or split apart will not count. Begin!"

Rotten Bad Apple wasted no time, hefting up his gun and firing away until his tree was nothing but splinters. However, he also hit most of his apples and only one managed to get by undamaged. Worm-Eaten tried the patented Apple Family Applebucking Techinque, resulting in him spraining his back legs. Bruised Bad Apple grinned as they stepped up to their tree, grinning as they raised their left forehoof, punching the tree with incredible strength...and sending it crashing down, half of the apples bruised or smashed by the impact, but the other half unharmed.

The Sparkles calmly lifted every apple from their trees with their telekinesis, gently placing them in their basket.

Hard Cider and Big Mac managed to kick their trees clean of every apple, Juicy Apple managed to get down half and Applebloom couldn't even get a single apple down from her tree. Applejack nervously stared up at her own tree, gulping as her family urged her on expectantly. She sighed and lightly tapped her hoof against the bark.

"Put some muscle in it girl!" Hard Cider yelled. "We're runnin' outta time!"

Applejack sighed and this time hit harder...and screamed as the action injured her leg.

"AHHH!" She screamed. "My hoof! Ah! My hooficure!" She hurridly inspected her injured hoof to see if she had managed to ruin its perectly well groomed appearance. She sighed in relief upon seeing it was undamaged and unruined.

"Time's Up!" Braeburn called out."

Silverstar nodded. "The Sparkles win this round again, followed by Stalliongrad, then the Outback, Ponyville, the Turnips, the Dawns, the Grapes and the Bad Apples. The Oranges lose this round, having only gotten two apples down."

Rainbow rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "That big white pony is certainly a strong one."

"Oh I think he looks super cuddly!" Fluttershy squeeled.

Bruised Bad Apple glared towards the audience, towards the two pegasi, growling in irritation.

"Now jus' hold on one second!" Hard Cider called out. "Those unicorns cheated! They used their dang magic to get all the apples!"

"Is it wrong for a pony to use their natural skills to help perform a certain task?" A new voice stated gently.

The apple farmer froze as an elderly, extremely wizened earth pony walked in, hobbling along on a twisted tree branch walking stick. His mane and tail were a light grey, his coat was also a darker grey, but his blue eyes sparkled with wisdom and compassion as he smiled warmly.

"D-Deep Roots!" Hard Cider and several others exclaimed.

The elderly stallion nodded. "Indeed, I wouldn't miss this for the world. Now, back to your complaint, a farmer must use every method they deem fit to successfully perform their tasks. As unicorns, the Sparkles are blessed with abilities that simplify their work far more than any tool, but using it is not 'cheating'. After all, you are fine with Rotten Bad Apple's use of his invention, and his son's use of his special talent."

"That's different!" Hard Cider spat. "They're kin, and those unicorns are..."

Deep Roots frowned sternly. "My fellow judges agree with me, the Sparkles are allowed to use their magic. If you wish to cause a scene, however, you will be disqualified. Am I clear, Hard Cider?"

The stallion sighed and hung his head low. "Yes, Deep Roots."

"Good." The elder grinned happily. "So let's continue the competition, shall we?"

Rainbow Dash raised a brow at this. "Who is this Deep Roots? He was mentioned earlier..."

"Oh, Ah suppose you wouldn't know him, not being an Apple an' all." An earth pony said from beside Rainbow. "He is the patriarch of the Apple Clan, and every one of us, no matter how distant, can be linked back to him, the stallion who started our family."

"He...STARTED the Apple Family?" The pegasus' eyes widened. "But that'd be...How old IS he!?"

"Nopony knows. But he has guided everyone at one point or another, and is extremely wise. He has earned his position as the overall head of the Clan and our most respected and loved relative."

Fluttershy grinned, sighing in amazement. "I'll bet he'll love to hear some of my party ideas!"

"Maybe later Shy," Rainbow said, a leg over her friend's shoulder, "right now there's a bit of a family event going on."

"Oh, duh!" The yellow Pegasus giggled, sticking out her tongue. "I meant after silly! Only a jerky meanie pants would interrupt a party for their own party!"

Rainbow smiled at that, watching the completion again.

Pinkamena ran down the streets, panting and wild eyed as she scanned her surroundings for an irritating yellow Pegasus who liked to sing. She breathed a sigh of relief upon finding that she was safe and alone, only to get the wind knocked out of her as something big and white crashed into her, knocking her to the ground.

Pinkamena glared up at Rarity, the white unicorn rubbing her short messy mane, grinning in embarrassment. "Hehe, sorry Pinkie, didn't see ya there."

'PInkamena." The rock farmer growled. "Pink. Ah. Mee. Nah. Got it memorised?"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway gotta dash I'm late for the competition!" The unicorn hurriedly ran off through the middle of the town.

"Why?" PInkamena groaned. "Why am I surrounded by crazy ponies!?"

As the events continued, the Ponyville Apples had managed to crawl up the standings and were now head to head with the Sparkles, the other families jockeying for their positions, the Bad Apples Floundering in last place.

"Now then!" SIlverstar announced. "This round will show how good you are at taking care of produce in order to sell it, as well just how well you can grow something. All you need do is bring out something you brought over for the judges. This time, you will have all the time you need. Begin!"

The competitors all gathered together various items, some fruits, some vegetables, ready to present them to the judges. Hard Cider put on a brown Stetson, smirking towards the Sparkles as his wife handed a nervous Applejack a jar of Zap Apple Jam.

"You may have gotten very lucky, but naturally, our Zap Apple Jam will win us the competition." He turned, frowning at Applejack. "Surely our daughter can prove not to mess up this time."

Applejack winced, Applebloom and Big Mac frowning in shame as her parents glared disappointedly. She stepped forward, lifted the jar to the judges and...

Blinked, frozen in place as the jar shattered and jam covered hers and the judges' faces. Several other contestants cried out as their own samples were blown to smithereens after a gunshot rang out each time.

"ROTTEN BAD APPLE!" Deep Roots shouted disapprovingly. "You will stop this lunacy at once!"

Rotten chuckled as his children stood by him with wicked smirks. "Well Ah cain't exactly prees'nt anything to yew, Deep Roots sir, on accounnt of mah bein' such an awful farmer. 'S only fairs that everypony else suffer th' same handeecap." He spread his forelegs out in a shrug, smirking like the kid who stole the pie from the windowsill.

"The Bad Apples are disqualified for disorderly conduct." Deep Roots stated. "I will not tolerate anypony, not even family, disrupting our event."

"Welp, not like we were winnin' anyways. Let's go." Rotten chuckled as his two children followed him as they left the stadium.

"Zat vas uncalled for." Night Light said with a raised brow. "Surely he knew doing zat vould result in instant disqualification."

"I'm sure he had good reasons, Dad." Twilight offered. "I talked to him before; he didn't seem to be a bad pony."

"You hear that!" Hard Cider yelled out. "They're defendin' the Bad Apples! They're prob'ly in cahoots! Why we oughta.."

"Cider." Deep Root breathed. "Do not cause a fuss, or you'll end like Rotten and his kin. Understood?"

"...Crystal."

The wizened pony smiled and turned to the Sparkles. "I assume you were the only ones Rotten didn't sabotage just now."

Twilight's mother sighed. "We...were not familiar with how this event is run. We didn't prepare anything in advance. I am sorry."

"Hah! You ain't so special after all!" Applebloom pointed at the Sparkles as several Apples laughed cruelly.

"Ve never said ve vere." Night Light replied, smiling gently. "All farmers, all PONIES, can suffer bad luck or poor planning at the best of times."

"Wait we do have something!" Twilight grinned and ran over to the judges, showing off simple overalls she was wearing. "We save a ton of money making our own clothes! See? Real, genuine cotton!"

Deep Roots raised a brow. "You farm cotton?"

"Oh we farm lots of things! Wool, cotton, fruits, vegetables, and many besides! We pride ourselves of being prepared to cater to everypony!"

Deep Roots rubbed his chin, smirking. "Hmm...Quite interesting..."

"But that don't count!" Big Mac interjected. "You can't eat it!"

Silverstar gazed back. "And where does it say a farmer only farms food?"

Deep Roots nodded. "Very true. Living off the land takes more than being able to grow fruits or vegetables. It means being able to think about how to use everything else nature gives us. The Sparkles win this round, followed by the Apples."

Twilight grinned wide. "Yay!"

"You're letting us win?" Applejack asked, puzzled.

"While the jar may have been destroyed, you did manage to present your product to us, and we were able to sample, albeit...in an unconventional manner." Deep Roots chuckled. "Now then, I believe it's on to the next and final round."

There was much cheering as the contestants were directed back to their initial positions.

"Now then, in the end, farming comes down to one thing. And in this one thing, this final challenge will test you to the fullest. And, thus, I ask you now, Kin, visitors, to do one thing." Deep Roots cleared his throat and leaned spoke softly but was still able to be heard.

"Dig a hole."

Applebloom tilted her head. "What."

Rainbow Dash blinked from up in the stand. "What."

Fluttershy laughed, twisting around in the air mirthfully

"That's easy!" someone shouted out.

Deep Roots chuckled. "OH? Then surely our competitors can do quite well. So then...whoever has dug the largest whole in oh say 4 minutes wins."

The each team was given a shovel, except the Sparkles, who declined, instead setting to work taking something out of a bag, constructing a large, complex machine.

"They ain't prepared to give produce," Juicy Apple yelled incredulously, "but theya re prepared to build THAT monstrosity!?"

Hard Cider growled, taking his shovel and quickly begin digging. "We ain't gonna lose! Not to them! Not to those dang blasted unicorns!"

"Um, father, mother?" Applejack asked. "Aren't you taking all this a little harshly? They are not really bad ponies..."

"Why are you on their side anyway!?" Applebloom shouted out. "You're supposed to be helpin' us, we're your family! You're my big sis, you're supposed to be the one who helped us win!" The filly started to cry. "But instead all ya've done is make us look like idiots and let THEM win! Don't ya love us, AJ!? Aren't you supposed to always be there for us!?"

Applejack sighed, and began to speak when her father interrupted her.

"Now's not the time!" Hard Cider shouted, digging furiously, sweat pouring down his brow. "We gotta win! We gotta win! Jus' once, we gotta beat those Sparkles!"

Big Mac hopped into the hole, helping his father dig as Applejack watched with a frown on her delicate features.

The other families worked hard as the Sparkles used their magic to power their machine as it dug incredibly rapidly within seconds.

"Time's up!" Silverstar shouted after some time had passed, the respective families stopping.

The judges looked over the holes. It was clear to all who had won yet again.

"You cheatin' no good varmints!" Juicy Apple shouted. "That there hunka junk is the most blatant cheatin' Ah've ever did see!"

Twilight looked down, turning to ehr father. "Did we really?"

Night Light sighed, shaking his head. "Ve vere just told to dig a hole as fast as possible, nopony said how ve could go about zat."

"Not to mention that this isn't so much dirt as bedrock." Twilight's mother added. "We would've had a difficult time digging with only a shovel."

"But you till had an unfair advantage." Big Mac said, stepping forward. "We were all utilising our own strength and ponypower, while you just used that machine and your magic. You didn't even work up a sweat!"

Twilight back up as the other competitors gathered together, rallying behind the Apples into a mob out for blood. Her parents stood resolute, turning to the Judges.

"I apologise for not zinking about ze rules more carefully." The stallion stated. "On behalf of my family, we are prepared for any disciplinary actions you wish to take on us."

All eyes turned to the judges, particularly Deep Roots. The elder stallion opened his eyes, looking towards Sheriff SIlverstar.

"This is your town, Sheriff. Your call."

The Sheriff nodded and turned to the competitors. "The Sparkles have done nothing wrong. They win the round, and the competition."

Hard Cider slammed his hoof into the ground. "WHAT!?"

Deep Roots nodded. "Tell me, was it difficult digging into the ground? And in such a short amount of time?"

Several of the competitors asserted that yes this was true.

"I...may have had some difficulty, even with Big Mac's help." Hard Cider conceded.

"Now tell me..." Deep Roots continued. "What did this round have to do with farming?"

Big Mac raised a brow. "You sayin' there was some other meanin' behind this challenge?"

"Deep Roots nodded, and opened his mouth to speak, when a white unicorn came barrelling in dramatically.

"WAIT!" Rarity yelled out.

Rainbow Dash flew over to her friend. "Oh, where have you been Rarity?"

"I was asleep on the train!" The unicorn shouted. "It's a good thing it was going anywhere today cause everyone was out here for the competition, or else i would've been who knows where!"

Rainbow blushed and looked away sheepishly. "Hehe sorry I guess we kinda...forgot about you due to well...a lot of things."

"You FORGOT about me!?" Rarity's eye twitched. "Some friend YOU are!" She folded her forelegs, harrumphing.

"Don't worry Rares!" Fluttershy called out as she joined them. "I'll throw you a big 'Rarity is our bestest friend' party ever!"

"Now, excuse me," the three mares turned towards Deep Roots, who walked over to them slowly, "but is there a reason you came here so late and interrupted us before we decided on the winner?"

"Oh right! I almost forgot!" Rarity's expression became much more fearful. "We have to evacuate the town! Call the Royal Guard! Duck and Cover!"

"And why should we do that?" Hard Cider said irritably.

That was when everyone noticed the ground rumbling as the sound of many rapid footsteps grew louder.

"STAMPEDE!" Rarity and Fluttershy shouted, the latter with utter glee, earning a mild glare from Rainbow.

_Ok I have some ground to cover here I think._

_I had planned on making the actual competition longer, but I was tired, and I couldn't think of any other events. This of course does mean that precious time to develop the Bad Apples as well as the Apples themselves went nowhere. I'm also unsure about having the Sparkles win every event onscreen, for fear of it making it seem like they're mary sues or somesuch._

_And I was going to have Deep Roots proclaim the winner as well as explain a bit more about why he's ok with how the Sparkles do things, but I planned on saving that for the climax, so I decided to segue it into something else I ahd planned for this story._

_Hope you all enjoyed it and please comment!_


	4. Stampede

Apple to the Core

Chapter 4: Stampede

A low rumbling resounded through the small town. Dust and rocks shook as the wooden buildings clattered, many almost brought to collapsing and tumbleweeds...tumbled, but much more bouncily.

The driver for the train looked out the window of the machine, eyes widening as he saw what was heading towards him. He quickly leapt out the window and hide in the local saloon, not a minute after the train and several of its cars were knocked off the tracks and sent flying as a five or six buffalo stampeded into town.

Just nearby, Rotten Bad Apple and his kin watched from the top of a building, the patriarch laying back on a sunbathing chair.

"Well now, it's showtime." Rotten sneered. He nodded to Worm-Eaten, who jumped off the roof and onto the back of one of the buffalo, unnoticed as it tore down the streets.

Sheriff Silverstar set about calming various panicking ponies as the sounds of the stampede drew nearer, which was not an easy task. Deep Roots frowned as he turned to the competitors.

"My deepest apologies, but it would appear we will have to postpone the declaration of the winner of this year's competition." He lowered his head. "I am deeply sorry, truly I am."

"Come on everypony!" Hard Cider called out. "We Apples know how to deal with a stampede!"

"Ve vould also like to assist, if we can." Night Light offered.

"We don't need your kind of help!" Big Mac shouted, pressing his face close to Night Light's. "All you've done is made the rest of us look bad in front of our family!" he opened his mouth to say more, only for Applejack to pull him over with a hard glare of her own.

"Now see here! You may be my brother, but are you SERIOUSLY declining a unicorn's offer to help us!? Their magic should be of a better advantage here than anything else we could do, and we need all the help we can get!" The fashionista panted, her gaze holding her brother in place.

"Applejack!" Juicy Apple stomped a hoof. "That is no way to talk to yer brother!"

"Why do ya keep sidin' with those ponies!?" Applebloom exclaimed. "They're driving down our business! The farm is in a lot of trouble!"

"That's right!" Hard Cider added. "We need as much we can get, but those Sparkles' keep takin' away our customers!"

Applejack sighed, her gaze stern. "First of all, the farm is fine, nopony seems to be starving and everything seems to be in good shape. Secondly, Ah only came here because you said you desperately needed my help, and because Bloom and Mac asked me. I was under the impression you genuinely needed my assistance. However, you pushed me to compete in events Ah was ill-prepared for and offered no assistance of your own. Thirdly, Ah will stand by my friends and those they care about, including their families and friends, especially if they are offering to help in a CRISIS. Or did you forget that a stampede IS ACTUALLY DANGEROUS AND AH CANNOT BELIEVE YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY TRIED TO GET BLOOM SOMEHWERE SAFE!" She snorted, teeth gritting at that last part.

"But Ah wanna help too!" the filly objected.

Applejack's gaze softened. "Bloom, Ah know you're too young to understand this, but you got to remember one thing: no matter how Ah act around others, who Ah 'side' with on certain matters, you are my little sister and Ah will always love you. And as such, Ah am trusting our brother and our parents to make sure you stay safe."

Hard Cider opened his mouth a few times and raised his hoof, but sighed. "Alright, yer right." He glared at Night Light. "But the moment this dang stampede is over with, I'm takin' ya down, Unicorn." He turned around as Big Mac began to escort a protesting Apple Bloom to their hotel room.

That was when one of the train carriages fell down from sky and near the stands.

The ponies in the stands leapt from their seats and ran in a mad panic, some being scattered as massive, angry buffalo tore through the wooden seats started rampaging around the plain.

"Everypony evacuate!" Sheriff Silverstar shouted, leading most of the civilians away from the rampage as others either ran in fear or got knocked to the ground.

Rainbow Dash fired blasts of magic at the buffalo to keep them at bay and drive them away from the town, while Hard Cider and Juicy Apple worked together to hogtie the legs of the rampaging beasts, the Sparkles using their own magic to set up barricades to keep the buffalo from returning into the town streets.

"Help. Save me. SOS." Pinkamena dryly stated, her tail caught in the horn of a buffalo, seemingly unnoticed by the angry creature. Rarity chased after, trying to sue her magic to help untangle the pink rock farmer from afar, though her inexperience with suing magic was making her efforts difficult.

Fluttershy meanwhile giggled excitedly as she flew around, examining the buffalo, scaring a few with her unusual behaviour and causing them to crash to the ground.

Applejack looked around at the chaos, looking nervous and apprehensive, trying to decide how she could help anyone and who exactly she should help. Her friends? Her family? She couldn't fight, she wasn't strong enough to take down a buffalo, and she couldn't make a lasso to save her life, let alone throw one with the skill and accuracy of her parents. She was starting to feel useless. She looked up as she felt a hoof on her shoulder.

"Look AJ," Big Mac said as he stood close to his sister, Applebloom on his back, "Ah know you wanna help, Ah do, you've always prided yerself on helpin' ponies whenever you can, but you'll just be in the way. Everypony else got it covered, so just come with me an' Applebloom to somewhere safe."

"Ah...you're right, Macintosh, but still..." The fashionista looked down shamefully. "What good is it being the 'element of loyalty' if I can't even decide who I can be loyal to...or even be able offer anything beyond fashion tips...?"

"That's why we wanted ya to come home!" Applebloom shouted. "Yer wastin' yer time on that stupid dressin' up stuff, you should be with us, helpin' on the farm, buildin' up yer strength so ya can help in the hard times!"

"Applebloom that's enough." Big Mac scolded, causing the filly to shrink back a little. "AJ's been yelled at and scolded enough. Ah miss her too, but she'll never come home if'n we treat her like Uncle Rotten."

"But she's just like Uncle Rotten!" Applebloom argued.

The stallion glared, disappointment and anger in his eyes. "Don't you ever say that again. Don't you ever compare yer sister, yer own flesh n' blood, to that cantankerous, mean spirited jerk."

"But they are! They both turned their backs on our family jus' so they could do somethin' useless and stupid!"

Applejack frowned, her features stern. "Bloom, do not say that. Ah am persuing my dream, there is nothing wrong with that. Besides, I am able to make a fair living."

"yeah, but it ain't what ya supposed to be doin'!" Applebloom interjected. "Pa says so himself: yer an Apple, which means yer supposed to be on th' farm with yer family not livin' by yerself tryin' to act like those prissy unicorns in Canterlot, or those Sparkles!"

"You can say whatever you like about me, but don't you ever such awful things about Twilight or her family!" Applejack shouted. "You don't even know them, just what FATHER and MOTHER say about them!"

"Uh girls..." Big Mac tried to interrupt.

"They are ruinin' our lives!" the filly shouted back. "They're gonna drive us out of our home and steal all of our business! They're nothin' but mean ol' unicorn snobs who don't care what happens to other ponies!"

"Stop saying unicorn like it's a slur! They are not bad ponies, mother and father are just bad businessponies!"

"You sayin' ma an' pa are dumb!?"

"Are you suggesting that being a unicorn makes one a bad pony!?"

"WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND HOW SELFISH YOU'RE BEING!?" Both sisters shouted at each other, blinking as their ears pricked up as they heard the playing of banjo music.

"The hay?" Applejack wondered, looking upwards.

"Where's that music comin' from?" Applebloom asked, turning her head in the same direction.

As the sisters looked up, they saw a massive buffalo standing over them, its eyes glassy and filled with a swirling spiral as Worm-Eaten Bad Apple sat on its back, playing on his banjo.

"Well howdy," the black-coated stallion greeted with a nasty smirk, "seems you folks havin' a bit of a communication issue. This place ain't safe to be havin' an argument, certainly not for a little filly such little Bloomy." His smirk widened into a grin, baring his yellow teeth. "Lemme take her off yer hands, if'n ya wouldn't mind."

Big Mac snorted, turning to face the other stallion with a hard glare. "Shoulda known you Bad Apples had somethin' to do with this."

"You should've jus' kept quiet like ya always do, cuz." Worm-Eaten growled, playing a few notes on his banjo, the buffalo he sat on sudden charged forward, knocking Big Mac to the ground and sending Applebloom into the air as the large beast trampled the stallion underneath.

"MACINTOSH!" Applejack shouted in shock, looking up at the retreating Bad Apple in anger, eyes widening as she noticed her younger sister in the stallion's grasp. "Bloom!"

"AJ!" The filly called out fearfully. "Help me!" she was silenced as Worm-Eaten wrapped a gag over her muzzle.

"Ah, shaddup ya lil brat." Worm-Eaten commented harshly as she continued to play his banjo.

Applejack growled and gave chase, only to be freeze in her tracks as Braeburn ran in front of her.

"Eep!" The fashionista yelped.

"What they hay is goin' on here!?" Braeburn asked, looking confused and scared.

"Wha...Where have you been!? Ah thought you were still here with the judges!"

"Sorry! I had to...well, ya know...go to th' li'l colt's room...but that ain't important right now! What's with all this ruckus and craziness!?"

Applejack sighed, calming herself. "A stampede of buffalos ran through the town, and they look very angry for some reason. And Worm-Eaten was riding one of them, and he just kidnapped Applebloom!"

"WHAT!?" The stallion exclaimed in shock. "THAT...Ah mean, how could this have happened!? And today of all days!?"

"Look, we don't have time to get in a panic, first Ah need to go save Applebloom," Applejack pointed behind herself as her friends and family fought the stampede, "you should go over there and help protect the town."

"Sh-shouldn't Ah go help you though?"

The mare shook her head. "Ah'm afraid not, darling. You're the deputy sheriff, your responsibility is the protection of the town first and foremost, plus I need somepony to tell everypony else what happened."

Braeburn nodded slowly, uncertainly. "A-alright...Ah'll do that. Jus...Jus be careful."

Applejack nodded and ran down the road, following where she last saw Worm-Eaten ride off. Braeburn ran towards the plain, where only a few buffalo remained, running around wildly.

Night Light and his wife panted, Twilight collapsed on her mother's back, exhausted, their magic resources dwindling. They were knocked over like bowling balls as Hard Cider and his wife were thrown into them by one of the last remaining Buffalo, which was being chased by Fluttershy, who tried to grab a nonchalant Pinkamena from its horn.

"Fluttershy," Pinkamena stated dully, "I will give you so much bits not to rip me off this thing and tear my tail off and make me shout in a comical fashion."

"Awww, how'd you guess my plan?" The Pegasus pouted.

"Pinkie sense." The pink mare answered simply. Her eyes widened and she yelled out as the buffalo's scalp fell off, sending her crashing into Fluttershy, causing the Pegasus to crash to the ground.

"What the hay?" Pinkamena got up, lifting the horn stuck in her tail, along with the entire face of a buffalo. "A mask...?"

The 'buffalo' in question roared, charging into the derelict, overturned train, pushing its hooves against the metal. There was a nasty, grinding sound as it pushed the train up the road at an incredible speed, towards the horizon.

Rainbow Dash looked around, noting that all the other Buffalo had been stopped in their tracks. "...so, we won?"

Hard Cider got up with a scowl, grunting in pain as he pushed on he cracked his back with hooves. "Ah sure don't feel like we won."

Deep Roots walked towards the group, a grave expression on his features. "While we've had problems with buffalo in the past, they were never this violent. I wonder what happened to make them act like this...?"

"Does it matter?" Juicy Apple retorted gruffly, shaking her head clear.

"Whoo!" Fluttershy cheered as she shot up into the air. "That was fun!" She giggled as everyone else glared at her or looked at her oddly.

"Terrible news!"

The gathered ponies turned to look at Braeburn, who ran over with an urgent look on his features.

Appleack looked around the town, panting. She had ran through the streets for a while, and still saw no sign of Worm-Eaten, the buffalo or ehr sister.

"Ah never realised how BIG this town was...where did they go?" Her ears perked up as she heard a loudly, metallic grinding noise. She turned her head and screamed as she saw a massive...thing rushing towards her, sparks flying around from underneath it.

She quickly ran between two buildings and watched as what upon closer inspection seemed to be the train she and her friends and family had rode on to get to Appleoosa was pushed down the wide street on its side by what appeared to be a hornless buffalo with a white head.

"Well that is certainly peculiar..." She noted with a raised brow. After the...whatever it was left, she moved forward, looking around, sighing in defeat as she slumped to the ground. "Ah'm sorry Applebloom...Ah'm sorry I failed you..." Tears fell down her snout and she sat like that for a while before some ponies came towards. She felt hooves on over her shoulders as her father called out from a short distance.

"it's ok Applejack," Rainbow Dash said as she held her friend in a gentle embrace, "we're gonna help."

Rotten Bad Apple tapped his blunderbuss against his hip, whistling in approval as he looked up at the train that Bruised Bad Apple managed to bring for him.

"Now that's a mighty fine piece of engineerin' right there!" He grinned up at Bruised. "You made your ol' pa right pleased, Bruisey." He walked over and pulled out a set of tools. "Jus' need some minor adjustments, an' we'll be good to go."

"Hey! Lemme go!"

The other stallion turned to look as Worm-Eaten tossed a struggling Applebloom into a small cage and locked it.

"When my Pa hears about this you'll be sorry!" Applebloom threatened, her hooves gripping the bars tightly.

Rotten chuckled. "Oh ya poor thing. We only brought ya here to keep ya safe."

"Keep me safe?" The filly blinked.

"Thass right, ya see, Appleoosa isn't a safe place right now. Why, by sundown, the entire town will be overrun with stampedin' buffalo angry at the farmers, and they're so enraged they'll most likely tear the town apart." He chuckled sardonically.

"But...why ain't you gonna do anythin' if'n you know about this!?" Applebloom asked, shocked at ehr uncle's seeming apathy for the well being of their family.

The older stallion stopped laughing, his expression, frowning scornfully. "Cause it's all part of the plan." He smiled kindly at her. "Now don't you worry none, lil Bloomy, you'll be nice and safe here, with us, away from it all. We'll take good care of you."

Bruised lifted up the cage and walked off, carrying and Applebloom in their hooves. "But for now, you're gonna keep nice an' quiet with the other hostages, if'n ya know what's good fer ya."

A gunshot rang out, Bruised staring at a small crater just beside them that was still smoking.

"Ah will not have mah kin talk to their family like that." Rotten Bad Apple said warningly. "An' 'specially not to a child. Yer scarin' the poor thing."

"S-sorry pa..." The larger pony sweated nervously, walking slowly, holding the cage far more carefully as they left.

"Good." Rotten blew the smoke off from his blunderbuss' barrel, turning back to the train. "Whelp, best get to work fore'n my brother-in-law and th' rest show up."

"Pa, how do we even know they'll even come?" Worm-Eaten asked, strumming his banjo as he laid against the rock wall of their hideout.

His father smirked. "Well, Bloom is Cider and Sis' daughter, and a child no less, not to mention how hung up they are on the whole 'family sticks togetehr' thing. Big Mac'd help too, if'n you didn't clobber him bad enough, which Ah hope fer your sake ya didn't. AJ is not only loyal, but loves her siblings more'n anyone, so she'll definitely try and help out. Her friends on the other hoof will probably help out too, seein' as they came all this way to support her an' all. The Sparkles strike me as the sort who'd care about this sorta thing even if it doesn't concern em, so they'll tag along too. And Braeburn will come along, seein' as he's the deputy an' all."

"An' you said we gotta be careful of that there blue Pegasus, right?"

Rotten nodded. "Yep. She's pr'bly the most dangerous one, seein' as she's Rainbow Dash."

The younger stallion quirked a brow, halting hsi strumming. "Who?"

"Rainbow Dash, top graduate of Canterlot's University of Magic, an' the Element of Magic. She's perty famous for bein' the first Pegasus to be able to use unicorn magic, not to mention takin' down Nightmare Moon herself AND Celestia's personal student."

Worm-Eaten's jaw fell slack, his eyes wide. "A-are ya fer real!?"

"Mhmmm." Rotten replied with a slow, curt nod. "That's why our priority is takin' her and the unicorns down. We can handle a few earth pones and a Pegasus jus' fine, but unicorns and a magic prodigy? That'll be tricky."

Worm-Eaten regained his composure, frowning grimly. "You can count on me, Pa."

"Good boy. Now, gimme some time to work on this here machine while we wait." The stallion walked over to train and began to demonstrate his special talent.

_Was going to make this a little longer, but for certain reasons decided not to, which will likely be clear next chapter._

_This story has gotten to be quite a bit longer than I had planned. Originally this was going to be a much shorter story, around 3 or 4 chapters max, but as it went on, actually writing caused it to be quite a fair bit longer than I intended._

_Hope you all enjoyed it, and please comment!_


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